Armored Car Employee Charged With Theft And Tax Evasion

Tanika Victoria Little, 35, of Philadelphia, PA, was charged today in a superseding indictment with two counts of bank theft and one count of tax evasion. Little was an employee of Brink’s, Inc., a national armored truck company which delivered cash to banks, among other businesses.  On February 15, 2011 and on March 1, 2011, Little came into possession of incorrectly routed bags of cash totaling approximately $110,000 in $20 denominations.  The indictment alleges that Little failed to deliver the bags of cash to Bank of America's Drexel Hill branch and began making deposits into her personal bank accounts in $20 denominations.  It is  further alleged that Little, whose annual income from Brink=s was approximately $41,000 at the time, deposited approximately $41,840 in cash in $20 denominations into three different bank accounts between March 2, 2011 and June 1, 2011.  On June 29, 2011, within an eight-hour period of time, Little allegedly purchased 27 money orders, totaling approximately $13,000, with cash from eight different retail establishments in South Philadelphia, PA.  In addition, in 2011, Little allegedly reported that she had paid approximately $25,000 for exterior and interior home improvements in cash, including $2,000 for a remodeled bathroom, $4,300 for a remodeled kitchen, $8,500 for a remodeled basement, and $9,000 for rebricking of her home’s exterior. 

The indictment alleges that when Little’s 2011 federal income tax return was filed, she evaded taxes by falsely reporting that her total gross income was $28,870, when her true gross income was approximately $138,870, as demonstrated by her alleged acquisition of the missing money, her deposits and expenditures. 

If convicted, Little faces a maximum possible sentence of 65 years imprisonment, a five-year term of supervised release, a fine of up to $2.1 million, and a $300 special assessment.

The case was investigated by United States Secret Service and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anita Eve.              

Click here to view the indictment   

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, EASTERN DISTRICTof PENNSYLVANIA
Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
PATTY HARTMAN, Media Contact, 215-861-8525